Device for developing photographic films and the like.



V VINDRIM & D. D. YOUNG.

G PHOTOGRAPHIC FILMS AND THE LIKE. APPLICATION FILED MAR.29. 1915.

DEVICE FOR DEVELOPIN Patented Aug. 6, 1918. I

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

S. WINDRIM & DiD. YOUNG. DEVICE FOR DEVELOPING PHOTOGRAPHIC FILMS ANDTHE LIKE.

APPLICATiON FILED MAR. 29. 1915.

[I a Z 55 d 72 z Patented A11 6, 1918.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrion SAMUEL WINDRIM AND DAVID DONADDSON YOUNG, OFBELFAST, IRELAND.

DEVICE FOR DEVELOPING PHOTOGRAPHIC FICIlMS AND THE LIKE.

"Specification of Letters Intent.

Patented Aug. 6, 1918.

Application filed latch 29, 1915. Serial No. 17,661.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that we, SAMUEL WINDRIM and DAVID DONALDSON YOUNG, both'subjects of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, both residing atBelfast, Ireland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inand Relating to Devices for Developing Photographic Films and the like,

of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for the developing of photographicfilms and the like without the use of a dark room and it has for itsobject to provide improved 'and simplified apparatus for this purpose weprovide another and somewhat smaller tank, shaped to fit into the tankabove de scribed, vso that there is an annular space between the innerwall of the outer tank and the outer wall of the inner tank, the twotanks being so constructed at. their tops that, when the inner tank isin position a light tight joint is formed between the two tank tops,means being provided for retaining this light .tight joint, whileallowing the inner tank to turn relatively to the outer tank, so that avertical projecting member or pin which is. provided at theyoutside/ andparallel with the outer wall of the inner tank, and which may be securedto the top of the inner tank or elsewhere, may be caused to engage theend of'the film carrying strip, so that by turning the inner tankthrough one complete circle, the pin would be caused to draw the filminto the annular space between the walls of the tanks, so that thedeveloping solution previously poured into the outer tank and forcedinto the annular space by the insertion of the inner tank will act onthe film drawn into said annular space.

With the apparatus above described it.

will be understood that the film strip only extends once around theannular space between the tanks, and in order to provide a more compactapparatus, or an apparatuscapable oftaking a longer length of film wemay provide means whereby the film may be caused to extend more thanonce around the annular space between the tanks as hereinafterdescribed. V I If desired, means may be provided to effectively stop theturning of the inner tank when the film is completely unwound into theann lar space between the tanks.

In or er that our invention may be clearly understood we have hereuntoappended explanatory sheets of drawings whereon our -1I1V8I1t101'1 isshown by way of. illustration or example. A

Figure 1 is a cross sectional elevation of'one form of apparatus inaccordance with our invention (on line so a: Fig. 2).

2 a plan view (partly in section).

Flg. 3 1s a cross sectional elevation on the line :1 y, Fig. 4 ofanother form of the apparatus in accordance 'with our invention (part ofthe inner tank is cut away).

Fig. 4 1s a plan view of Fig. 3 (partly in sectlon).

Under our invention as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the developing apparatusor device comprises a circular open topped tank a w1th one or morerecesses or equivalent a? in the side wall of the tank, said recess abeing open to the interior of the tank and adaptedv to receive the usualfilm spool 12. A flat spring 0 (see Figs. 3 and l or equivalent meansare provided to hold the spool 79 in the recess a while allowing it tofreely turn therein, and we provide another and somewhat smaller tank03, shaped to fit into the tank a above described so .that there is anannular space 0 between the inner wall of the outer tank a and the outerwall of the inner tank cl. The two tanks are constructed top of theinner tank to retain the two tanks 1n posltion w1th a light tight ointwhile allowing the inner tank d to turn'relatively to the outer tank sothat a vertical proecting member or pin d which is provided at theoutside of, and parallel with the outer outer tank and the projectingpart at the v wall of the inner tank d, and which is, in the exampleshown, secured to the top of the inner tank and may be caused to engagethe end 6 of the film carrying strip 5 on the spool b. By turning theinner tank 03 through one complete circle, the pin 01 would be caused todraw the film strip 5 into the annular space 6 between the walls of thetanks a and 03, sothat the developing solution previously poured into,the outer tank, through a hole a (now suitably plugged and light tight)and forced into the annu tank 03 will act on the film strip 6 drawn intosaid annular space e. If desired, the developing fluid may be addedafter the film is in the annular space by providing an opening in theWall of one or. both of the tanks. If desired, we may provide on thebottom of the outer tank a small button or disk such as g or equivalent,so' that the whole apparatus may be readily turned or rotated thereonfor the purpose of efiectively circulating the developing fiuid in theannular space 6, between the tanks. Forthis purpose the apparatus mayalso, if desired, be adapted to turn upside down and remain water-tight.

For the purpose of discharging the fluid in the annular space we providean opening a in the wall of the outer tank, and an opening a in theinner tank Wall said opening being suitably corked or provided withother suitable closure means, and said opening or openings may also beused to wash out the annular space and to wash out the developing fluidfrom the film when development has'been completed.

WVith the apparatus above described it will be understood that the filmstrip 6 only extends once around the annular space 6 between the tanksat and d and in order to provide a more compact apparatus or anapparatus capable of taking a longer length of film We may provide meanswhereby the film may be caused to extend more than once around theannular space between the tanks.

Such an apparatus is shown at Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings.

The inner turnable tank d or equivalent and the outer tank a of theapparatus are made generally as described with reference to Figs. 1 and2, but in this case the film strip 6 is first wound on to the outersurface of the inner tank (1, and then passes therefrom on to the outersurface of a ring or partial ring h or equivalent which is turnablyarranged, for instance, on the central projecting boss (1 shown .inFigs. 3 and 4 and positioned between the outer surface of the inner tankd or equivalent, and the inner surface of the outer tank a. The turningof the ring his positively stopped at a predetermined place, for examplewhen the ar space 6 by the insertion of the inner required length offilm is unwound, by suitable means, such as a projection k on the ringit and stopper a on the tank a. The ring it does not turn While the filmstrip 6 is being unwound on to the outer surface of the inner tank 03,which slides over the top .of the ring it until the projection d meetsprojection k and then ring it will be carried around along with the tankd and the film strip 6 will engage and bethereby wound on to the outersurface of the ring it. The turning of the ring it is effected by theprojection 03 on the tank d engaging the projection if on the ring it.The turnable ring may be so made and arranged that while it is slidablecircumferentially it cannot move otherwise between the inner sur face ofthe outer tank and the outer surface of the inner tank. In the exampleshown this is effected by the bosses a and it the boss 7& being turnablyarranged on the boss a which is situated at the center of the bottom ofthe outer tank a.

The modified apparatus above described with reference to Figs. 3 and 4is operated generally in the same manner as the forms of the apparatusdescribed with reference to Figs. 1 and 2, with this difference, thatthe film strip 6 is firstwound on to the inner tank 03 or equivalent andthen on to the turnable partial ring it, and of course, the apparatus isas described withreference to Figs. 1 and 2 provided on the inner tankdor equivalent with a projecting member 03 or equivalent adapted toengage the end 6 of the film strip 6 whereby the film strip 6 is unwoundfrom its recess a as the inner tank d is turned and also as the innertank d and the partial ring h are turned as above described. It will beunderstood that by lengthening the tanks and the spool recess orrecesses, more than one spool of film .could be dealt with at one timeby arranging the spools one on top of the other and unwinding them ashereinbefore described.

Having now fully described our invention what we claim and desire tosecure by relatively to each other, and means connected'with the innertank whereby a film strip can be unwound from a spool and drawn into thespace between the tanks.

2. Apparatus for d e ve l o p in g photographic film spools comprisingavertically disposed cylindrical tank having spool accommodating means inits, wall, a second cylindrical tank of smaller, diameterturncylindrical ably supported within the outer tank, means effecting alight tight joint between the can be unwound from its spool into thespace between the tanks and on to the outer surface of the inner tank. 7

3. Apparatus for developing photographic film spools comprising avertically disposed cylindrical tank having spool accommodat-ing meansin its wall, a second tank of smaller diameter turnably supported withinthe outer tank, means eileoting a light tight joint between the tankswhile leaving them free to be turned relatively to each other, aturnable partial ring'positioned between the outer andinner tanks andmeans connected with the inner tank whereby a film strip can be unwoundfrom its spool into the space between the tanks on to the turnablepartial ring:

4. Apparatus for d e v e lo p in g photographic film spools eomprislng avertically disposed cylindrical tank having spool accommodating means inits wall, a second cylindrical tank of smaller diameter turnablysupported within the outer tank, means effecting a light tight jointbetween the tanks while leaving them free to be turned rality ofturnable partial rings.

relatively to each other, a plurality of turnable partial ringspositioned between the outer and inner tank and means connected with theinner tank whereby a film strip' can be unwound from its spool into thespace between the tanks and on to the plu- 5. Apparatus for developlngphotographic film spools comprising avertically disposed cylindricaltank having spool accommodating means in its wall, asecond cylindricaltank of smaller diameter tumably supported within the outer tank, meansefiecting a light tight joint between the tanks while leaving them freeto be turned relatively to each other, a turnable partial ringpositioned connected with the inner tank whereby a spool can be unwoundand drawn into the space between the tanks and on to the turnablepartial ring velop on to or into which the film strip can be drawn.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signar tures in presence of twowitnesses.

' SAMUEL WINDRIM.

DAVID DONALDSON YOUNG. Witnesses:

ANDREW HAMILTON,

JOHN KNox.

and a flexible band or en-

